[nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools

Doug Oliver oliver.doug1 at gmail.com
Sun Feb 7 04:47:24 UTC 2016 

Danielle I agree with you I have had people do the "your so amazing" 
comments too and it irritated me too I know what that's like.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Danielle Sykora via nabs-l" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: "Danielle Sykora" <dsykora29 at gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 6, 2016 9:59 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools


> As someone who has only been to public school, I am extremely greatful
> that my education was in this setting. Although it was challenging at
> times, I'm glad I was in "the real world" from the beginning. Though
> most of my work was available, accessibility challenges were always an
> unfortunate but unavoidable part of life I learned to deal with long
> ago. Most people viewed me as "that blind girl", but honestly, this is
> how it usually is as a minority. A similar hierarchy exists among
> blind people as it does in your average school environment. I'm not an
> overly social person, so it doesn't make a huge difference to me--I
> don't deal with people who have a superiority complex and I'm
> perfectly happy with just a few close friends. The "your so amazing"
> comments irritate me to no end and I actually tend to discredit
> compliments as products of low expectations, so I'm not sure the sense
> of entitlement happens all that often. Most importantly though, I
> needed to be in an academically challenging environment that I'm not
> sure is always available in a residential school for the blind. For
> example, how many AP science classes would be available in one of
> these schools?
>
> Danielle
>
> On 2/6/16, Vejas Vasiliauskas via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> I feel like as a public school student and you are blind, lots of
>> people are amazed by you and you may get a false sense of
>> entitlement.  Particularly in elementary school 'I'm sure a lot
>> of people can relate to th', you get paired with friends who are
>> there to help you at lunch and recess--as you get older this of
>> course doesn't happen, and it can be a shock to some people.
>> I can say now that as a student at LCB I am not "The Blind Kid",
>> and there are groups here, but friends choose each other based on
>> much more meaningful reasons.
>> Vejas
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Kayla James via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Sat, 6 Feb 2016 21:12:47 -0600
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Schools For The Blind vs Public Schools
>>
>> From someone who has done both, there isn't a whole lot of
>> difference.
>> In public school, you will be the "blind" kid, new, and people
>> will be
>> scared of you, but it helps you deal more with the real world
>> where
>> you are a minority in a sense.  Residential blind schools are
>> like
>> public schools, you'll be the "blind" kid there, too, and
>> depending on
>> the hierarchy, because let's face it there is one, that can be
>> good or
>> bad.
>> The popular kids are usually visually impaired, athletic, pretty,
>> you
>> name it.  Totals are in on it, too.  The pros: you are around
>> your own
>> set, if you will.
>>
>> On 2/6/16, Christina Moore via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>  I believe both settings have thier benefits and disadvantages.
>>  I attended a school for the blind from 2-4 grade and was a
>> residental
>>  student.  I did not mind in any not being at home and being at
>> the
>>  school for the blind allowed me to be around other kids, advance
>> my
>>  braille skills, learn some other necessary skills and gain
>>  self-confidence I would not otherwise have had.
>>  Once I entered public school in fifth grade it waws a hurtle for
>> me to
>>  do math and to accept being in a public school because my whole
>> world
>>  was different.  My school was learning how to help me as they
>> were
>>  going and that was challenging at time.  It was not thier fault,
>> but it
>>  was still challenging.  I did well though and am in college now.
>>  I believe both experiences have their advantages and
>> disadvantages.
>>  For instance, there is more self-advocacy, need to prove
>> yourself to
>>  classmates Etc.  in a school that is public versus a school that
>>  catters to blindness.  Everyone in my opinion should have an
>> experience
>>  of starting out in a school for the blind in some way and then
>> they
>>  should be transitioned into a public school where they finish
>> thier
>>  education.
>>  Just my thoughts.
>>
>>  On 2/6/16, jessica hodges via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>  I believe schools for the blind can have some benefits.  If you
>> go there
>>  as a residential student, depending on the school, and the
>> quality of
>>  education, you can get a lot of skills that can serve you very
>> well in
>>  life after graduation, if you keep practicing them.  However, I
>> believe
>>  that a student should also have some public school exposure, to
>> teach
>>  self advicasy, as well as how to cope when things when all
>> materials and
>>  experiences are not accessible, and optimized for blindness.
>> The issue
>>  that I find with blind schools is that they basically hand the
>> students
>>  the world on a silver platter.  They don't have to fight for
>> anything,
>>  make due with anything that isn't perfectly accessible, and so
>> have no
>>  exposure in how to deal with things in the "real world," outside
>> the
>>  sphere of the blind school.  I went to a blind school from my
>> third to
>>  sixth grade year, and was home schooled through seventh grade,
>> so I
>>  struggled integrating back into the school system, particularly
>> in math,
>>  trying to adapt to a visually taught class and things.  I also
>> didn't
>>  stay at the school, so I did not learn half of the skills that I
>> could
>>  have.
>>        In conclusion, I believe it is good to give students
>> experience in
>>  both public, and blind school settings.
>>  Hope this helps.
>>  Jessica
>>
>>  On 2/6/2016 4:42 PM, Roanna Bacchus via nabs-l wrote:
>>  Good evening Students,
>>
>>  I have a question for all of you.  What are the advantages and
>>  disadvantages of attending a residential school for the blind vs
>> a
>>  public school? I could not handle being away from my family
>> during the
>>  week.  As a toddler I attended the Early Intervention program at
>> the
>>  Perkins School For The Blind.  I'd like to hear your thoughts on
>> this
>>  topic.
>>
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